


Bribe

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: White Collar
Genre: Advent Challenge 2015, Christmas, Fluff, Gen, Office Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-10 09:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5580484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal gives Hughes a gift</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bribe

**Author's Note:**

> For the advent prompt "Brandy"

"Merry Christmas, Sir!" Neal said, placing a wrapped box on Hughes's desk.

"Caffrey?" the older man eyed him. "Is this a bribe?"

Neal almost affected a hurt look - he would have if this was Peter. But this was Hughes, so he simply smiled ruefully. "No sir. Just a token of my appreciation. I know it hasn't been easy having me in your unit this past year. Peter's taken some hits, and I'm sure you have too. I just wanted you to know that I realize that, and I appreciate it."

Hughes continued to stare at Neal, but his expression was a little softer.

"Happy Holidays, Sir!" Neal repeated, then popped back out of the office. Hopefully he could hide in Peter's office for the next half hour until the office Christmas Party and week-long break. If he, or more importantly, if Peter didn't manage to find an interesting new time-sensitive case in the next hour and a half, then the whole team would get to have a full, relaxing week off.

A moment later, however, his hiding was interrupted by a knock on Peter's door.

"What is this?" Hughes asked Neal, holding up his present.

"Brandy, Sir," Neal replied as though the answer should be obvious. "I didn't think you were a Port man."

Neal expected Hughes to say that he wasn't a Brandy man either - certainly whiskey or scotch fit the image of the tough old FBI man much better. However, Neal had a certain little birdie who had done impeccable research: when he had the chance to be discerning, Hughes was a Brandy man.

"This is a three thousand dollar bottle of brandy!" Hughes complained.

"Actually, that isn't the Imperial bottle, so it only cost a thousand dollars," Neal corrected cheerfully.

"This is a bribe." Hughes replied flatly, unimpressed with the distinction.

"It really isn't!" Neal said.

Hughes continued to eye Neal distrustfully, but thankfully Jones quickly declared the start of the party and Neal was able to slip off.

When Neal returned to the office a week later, he was unsurprising to see the bottle of Hennessy Brandy sitting on the shelf above Hughes's desk. He knew that next year, another would join it, and another the year after that. And someday Hughes might finally break down and open one of the bottles, finally trusting that Neal had no ulterior motive in gifting them.

But by then, Neal would have long since cashed in on the implicit good will of his bribes.


End file.
